Sunday, June 24, 2007

Our Tax Dollars at Work (?)

Oh how I loathe our feder@l government at times! Like right now--5 days before I need to take a trip out of country and my new passport STILL has not arrived! In an attempt to exorcise some of my pent up hostility and anger, I will recount for you the long and painful process I have endured to get my passport renewed (but it will probably only make me more furious).

February 2007--my passport expiredMarch 2007--mailed off expired passport with a renewal application--expected turn-around time as stated on state department website and paperwork: 6-8 weeks (PLENTY of time for my late June departure).June 13--called and spoke with Darcie at the passport agency--passport has not been completed, but she will be glad to "expedite" it for me (whatever that entails) and she has "complete confidence that the agency will be able to get my passport to me on or before the 25th" (a mere 4 days before my departure).June 19--of course I have no confidence in what Darcie told me, so I call back to check. I am told that my application is "almost complete" and should be mailing out any day.June 21--still doubtful, I call back to find out the great news that my application is "almost complete" and should be mailing out any day. Agent promises to send an email that should speed things along and ensure that once completed, the passport will be overnighted to me. I make appointment to go to passport agency in New Orleans on Wednesday June 27th where I can get my passport same day, just in case.June 22--a verbatim repeat of June 21June 23--see June 21 and 22June 24--book flight to New Orleans for Tuesday night because trip now seems inevitable. Later on same day, I check passport agency website that now says (to my utter shock and surprise) that my passport is no longer "in process" but has now been completed and mailed to me via priority mail (not overnighted) and I should receive it around the 27th (less than 48 hours before departure). Uggggggh!